Goodbyes (Sequel to Reunions)
by surrexi
Summary: Takes place 13 years later. Word is recieved that the war on Antar is over and the throne waiting to be reclaimed. Who will go? Who will stay? Please R&R! *Complete!*
1. War is Over

Larek stood at the window in the tallest tower of the Antarian palace. He had spent years as a general in the powerful guerrilla war against Kivar because he felt he had a duty to his friend, Zan. Larek shook his head and corrected himself. Zan's name was Max Evans now. After years of fighting, Kivar had been vanquished, and Antar stabilised. After over half a century of absence, it was finally safe for the Antarian royalty to return home.  
  
A knock on the door to the chamber startled Larek out of his thoughts. Wordlessly he crossed to the door and opened it to admit his son, Rafe.  
  
"Hey dad. I wondered if you were up here. Mom's worried about you, what with all this brooding you've been doing."  
  
"I've got a lot on my mind, son."  
  
Rafe looked incredulously at his father. "Dad, we've won! Kivar is gone, and the Royal Three can return to Antar. We'll be able to come home and the Five Planets will be at peace again."  
  
Larek began to pace agitatedly. "Son, it's more complicated than us just calling up Za…Max and him just coming home. He has lived his entire life on Earth. He has a wife, children. He may not want to come back."  
  
Rafe shrugged. "What about his second-in-command?"  
  
"Married with children."  
  
"To the princess?"  
  
"No. She is married to someone else."  
  
"Well someone of the Royal House of Antar has to come back."  
  
Larek turned toward his son and looked at him gravely. "The Royal Three have been through a lot in their lives. They had their past lives ruined here, and the things that went on here almost ruined their current lives many times. We can't expect them to just jump at the chance to risk everything once again for something they still haven't seen."  
  
"But it's their destiny."  
  
Larek gave his son a wry smile. "That's the last thing to say to them if we want them to come to Antar." 


	2. Celebration and Surprise

"I'm so proud of you, Alex!" Alexander Evans suppressed a wince as his mother hugged him tightly. She was allowed, he supposed. It was his high school graduation, after all.  
  
"That's great, Mom, but you won't be able to be proud of me for anything else if you squeeze me to death!" Alex laughed as he extricated himself from his mother's grasp, only to have his thirteen-year-old sister, Claudia, throw her arms around his neck.  
  
Liz Evans stepped back and watched as her son and daughter spun around in circles. She felt an arm slip smoothly around her waist. "Max."  
  
"Hello, love." Alex and Claudia stopped spinning. Alex grinned at his father.  
  
"Dad! How'd you like my speech?"  
  
Max gave his son a hearty hug. "That was the best valedictorian speech I've heard since your mother give hers when we graduated." Alex beamed.  
  
Michael, Maria, and their twelve-year-old son Mark caught up with Alex and his family at that moment. Maria hugged him almost as tightly as his mother had. Michael shook his hand and thumped his back.  
  
"Aunt Maria. Uncle Michael." Alex's voice showed the love he felt for them.  
  
"We're so proud of you Alex!" Michael slipped his arm around Maria's waist as she spoke, and smiled broadly before murmuring agreement.  
  
Alex looked around then asked, "Where's Lissa?" Lissa, short for Melissa, was one of the Guerin's three adopted children, and the youngest of the three. She had graduated with Alex. Michael and Maria had adopted older children because they were the ones most often overlooked. Mark was their only biological child.  
  
"She's around here somewhere. Last I saw her she was saying goodbye to her friend Ally. Ally's leaving for college today, you know."  
  
"Thanks Aunt Maria. Mom, is it okay if I go look for her?"  
  
Liz smiled. "Of course, honey."  
  
"Thanks, Mom!"  
  
Claudia and Mark also left to wander around the gym, where the reception was being held, to look for their friends.  
  
"Oh, Maria…they grow up so fast. It seems like only yesterday he was five years old and just moving in with us, still having nightmares. Now he's valedictorian and captain of the football team!"  
  
"God, Liz, I know what you mean. Lissa is so grown up. I can't believe that it's already been eight years since we adopted little ten-year-old Lissa. Now she's graduating. She's the last of the adoptees to do it. All we have left at home is Mark now!"  
  
Max and Michael turned to each other, lamenting the fact that Kyle had already left and couldn't serve as support, and began to talk sports, knowing that Maria and Liz could go on about the subject of growing children for ages.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Rafe wandered around Roswell, taking in the scenery. He was carrying a small duffel bag with some clothes in it, and a briefcase with a smaller version of the laptop communicator Tess had brought with her to Roswell thirteen years ago, as well as a letter from Larek to Max.  
  
He knew where Max and Liz Evans, Michael and Maria Guerin, and Kyle and Isabel Valenti all lived. Max and Liz, he knew, taught at West Roswell High. Michael was a successful writer, with his best-selling book series called The Survivors, about a group of four aliens who survived the Roswell crash in 1947 and integrated themselves into society. Maria was a recording artist with three platinum albums under her belt. Kyle was sheriff, and Isabel a social worker. Max and Liz had two children, Alex and Claudia. Michael and Maria had four, but two had already moved out. Kyle and Isabel had three children, and their names were James, Phillip, and Gabrielle.  
  
Rafe wondered how such well-established lives would affect whether they decided to return to Antar or not. He hoped that someone would be willing to come back. Antar, he knew, needed them badly.  
  
Confidant that he could convince the king to return to rule his home planet, Rafe began to whistle as he walked towards Max's house.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Alex and Lissa sat in the back booth of the Crashdown café, sipping Alien Blasts and nursing pieces of Asteroid Pie. They had been going steady since the middle of their junior year, and were as in love as each of their parents had been at their age.  
  
"So when do you leave for Yale, Lissa?"  
  
"I'm not sure when I'm going to head out there. When are you going to Harvard?"  
  
"Eventually. I want to hang loose here for a while. I need a vacation."  
  
"You could wait a year and Harvard would still take you. They were practically begging you to go there." Lissa's voice held a tinge of pride.  
  
"I could say the same about you and Yale."  
  
"Can you believe we've made it? We've finished high school, we're about to start real life…and nothing has happened."  
  
"You mean no 'Czechoslovakian'-related things?" Alex grinned. "We've been exceedingly lucky in that respect."  
  
"I know. When was the last time Dad and Uncle Max talked to that Larek person about the wars?"  
  
"I don't know. Awhile ago now, I think."  
  
"I wonder what's going on."  
  
"Yeah." Alex and Lissa sipped their Alien Blasts thoughtfully, and then turned the conversation to logistical plans for visits between Yale and Harvard.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Max and Liz were sitting in the living room of the apartment they had been renting for thirteen years. It was such a large apartment that they had never needed to move out.  
  
Claudia had gone to a Mark DeLuca's house, and Alex was still out with Lissa. Max and Liz were sitting in silence, not needing to say anything, just needing to be together. Suddenly a knock on the door interrupted their peace. Max tensed; feeling something big was about to happen. Wordlessly he looked at Liz and saw that she felt it too. He rose and went to answer the door.  
  
Rafe waited patiently for the door to open. It did, and Rafe immediately recognized Max from the pictures Larek had shown him.  
  
Max looked at the boy at his door. He looked to be about Alex's age. "Yes?"  
  
"Hello, Your Highness. My name is Rafe. I'm Larek's son. I have some good news for you. May I come in?"  
  
Max, slightly shocked, said dazedly, "Of, course. Come right in, Rafe."  
  
Liz, who had hung back in the entryway and paled visibly at Rafe's words, shakily escorted him to the living room, where they all sat down.  
  
Max quickly regained his composure and, putting his arm around Liz, looked at Rafe thoughtfully. "Are you actually Rafe, or are you using a human body?"  
  
"Yes, Your Highness, I am actually Rafe. My mission was too important not to come to Earth myself. Anyway, our technology is better now, and it is easier to travel to Earth than it used to be."  
  
Liz leaned into Max. "Why is your mission so important, Rafe?" she asked.  
  
"Well, Your Highness," addressing Liz as his queen, "I have wonderful news for you all. The wars have ended. Kivar has been defeated for the last and final time. My father, Larek, killed him in battle a short time ago. Antar is free! It is finally safe for you to return home and rule your planet."  
  
Liz paled even more. "Max…"  
  
"Liz…" Max tightened his arm around her. "Rafe, I…"  
  
"I would understand if Your Highness would need some time to think. I would advise, however that you return home. Antar needs you. She may be free, but there are many problems left to be solved." Rafe rose from his chair and looked at Max and Liz. "Your Highnesses,"  
  
"Please, Rafe." Max cut in. "Call us Max and Liz." Rafe appeared shocked. "Or at least Mr and Mrs Evans?"  
  
"All right, Your…Mr Evans. As I was saying, I wonder if you could recommend a motel that I could stay at while I am here?"  
  
Liz jumped up. "Oh no, Rafe! You can stay here with us!"  
  
"Thank you, Mrs Evans."  
  
Liz took Rafe's arm. "You can have my son's room." Liz led him into the room and began to help him settle in.  
  
Max began to pace the living room, running his hand agitatedly through his hair occasionally. He looked toward the door when Alex and Lissa came through, laughing.  
  
Alex immediately noticed something was wrong. "Dad, Dad. What's wrong? Where's Mom?"  
  
"She's in your room…with Rafe."  
  
"Who's Rafe?"  
  
"Larek's son. The wars are over."  
  
"What does that mean?" Alex reached out blindly for Lissa's hand. She took it and squeezed tightly.  
  
"They want us to go back." 


	3. Revelations

Kyle arrived home to the comforting sound of Isabel puttering in the kitchen and his son's music blaring from his bedroom. James always did like his music loud.  
  
Kyle dropped his briefcase in the living room and headed towards the kitchen. On the way, he glanced out the back doors and saw Phillip and Gabrielle playing in the backyard in the treehouse he had built for them. Kyle smiled and entered the kitchen. He came up behind Isabel and wrapped his arms around her waist.  
  
"Hey, Kyle."  
  
"Hey, Izzy. How was work today?"  
  
"Slow. Yours?"  
  
"Same."  
  
They fell into silence, not needing to speak. Kyle rested his chin on Isabel's shoulder as they gazed idly out the window at Phillip and Gabrielle. Suddenly the telephone rang, jarring them from their peaceful position.  
  
"I'll get it," said Isabel worriedly. Like Max and Liz had when Rafe came to the door, Isabel and Kyle both had the feeling something big would come through that telephone call. Isabel picked up the phone.  
  
"Max?"  
  
"No, it's Michael, but Max is the reason I'm calling."  
  
"Oh God, Michael," Kyle reached out to Isabel and drew her to his side. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Max, Liz, and the kids are fine. He just called a meeting. Important. Wouldn't tell me what it was about. Maria's worried sick, being how she is, and Max didn't exactly sound like he was calling a meeting for fun."  
  
"When? Where?"  
  
"The cave. ASAP."  
  
"Michael…the children?"  
  
"Leave them at home for now. Do you think Mark, Claudia, and Jamie could handle Phil and Gaby?"  
  
"Sure, where's Claudia?"  
  
"Here with us. I'll bring her and Mark over and take you and Kyle out to the cave with Maria and I."  
  
"Okay Michael. Bye."  
  
"Bye Izzy."  
  
Isabel leaned into Kyle. Kyle tightened his arms around her. "What's up, Izzy?" he asked worriedly.  
  
"Max has called a meeting at the cave. Claudia, Mark, and Jamie are going to watch Phil and Gaby."  
  
"Okay. Any idea what's up?"  
  
"No. Max and Michael haven't had contact with Larek in ages. It's been so long that poor Brody is starting think the aliens don't like him anymore."  
  
Kyle let out a chuckle at that. "Well, maybe it's news from Larek and maybe it's good news."  
  
Isabel shrank closer to Kyle. "Maybe."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Rafe sat silently next to Max in the cave. He could feel the curious stares coming from those assembled in the cave. He studied them covertly. Princess Isabel looked extremely worried, and she was cuddled close to her husband. General Guerin's jaw was set in a firm line, his eyes closed off. His wife was reclined in his arms. Occasionally she would shift her head and kiss his jaw. His eyes would soften momentarily and he would tighten his arms around her. Prince Alex and the General's daughter, Lissa, were also there. Like their parents, they stuck close together, supporting each other.  
  
Rafe had never seen such a dynamic before. All of these people were strong individuals; he knew that from his father's stories. Yet here they were all leaning on each other. His parents had a good relationship, but his father was definitely the strong one. The only evidence he saw of any one person in the group being the strongest was that Mrs Evans seemed to be the heart of the group.  
  
Rafe was pulled from his thoughts when Max spoke.  
  
"I know you guys are pretty worried, so I'm going to get straight to the point. However, I'm not sure I know all the details. So someone else will explain to you what's going on."  
  
Rafe looked up in surprise.  
  
"Guys, this is Rafe. He is Larek's son. He came here, all the way from Antar, to personally deliver some news." Max's voice was steady, but he gripped Liz's hand tighter. "Rafe, explain to everybody why you're here."  
  
Flustered, Rafe replied. "Yes, Your Highness." Seeing Max's frown, he amended, "Mr Evans."  
  
Rafe looked at the people assembled in front of him. He addressed the royals before beginning. "Prince Alex, Princess Isabel, General Guerin; I don't know where to begin. I guess I should start by saying that the Five Planet Wars are over. They were brought to an end a few months ago, when Kivar's regime fell to the guerrilla armies led by my father, myself, and our allies." The group, surprised both by the use of titles and by the news, sat staring at Rafe in open-mouthed shock. Rafe plowed ahead. "The planet has stabilised, but it won't stay that way without a member of the original Antarian Royal House on the throne. Your planet needs you at home."  
  
"Oh my God…" breathed Isabel. Kyle set his jaw and tightened his arms around her.  
  
"Michael…" whispered Maria. He squeezed her hands and kissed her forehead.  
  
A million thoughts raced through Alex's mind. Lissa, sensing this, took his hand and settled her head on his shoulder. Like Michael with Maria, Alex tenderly kissed the top of Lissa's head. Centered by her presence, his racing thoughts slowed, but still he thought of seeing his home planet.  
  
Alex had few memories of it. He didn't like to think about his life before he came to Earth to live with his father and Liz, who he thought of as his only mother that mattered. His birth mother, Tess, had been an evil girl who cared for no one but herself and her ascension into power. She had died when he was five, and her memory was shoved to the very back of his mind, along with memories of his experiences on Antar.  
  
Realizing his father had begun to speak, he turned his attention back to the meeting.  
  
"I'm going to be honest. I have no idea what to do." Max got up and began to pace. "Liz and I have talked our heads off since this afternoon when we got back from Alex's graduation and Rafe showed up on our doorstep, and we still have no ideas."  
  
"It will be as hard for you to make a decision as it will for us." Liz broke in. "We know that this is serious stuff, but according to Rafe we are thinking on borrowed time." Liz tugged Max back down to the floor so he would stop pacing. "We are going to try to make a decision within a week, and we hope that you guys will as well."  
  
Max took over again. "Please don't let anyone else's decision influence yours. If two of us want to go and four want to stay, that's all right. Or the other way around. Don't feel obligated. Make the decision for yourselves and for your children. We will meet here again in a week to discuss who goes and who stays."  
  
The others nodded, dazed. Rafe noted how well Mr and Mrs Evans worked together. They were definitely a unit, two bodies of one mind and one soul. They would make a wonderful king and queen. Rafe continued his musings as the group began to solemnly file out of the cave, faced with the biggest decision of their lives.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	4. Decisions, Decisions...

It had been three days since Rafe had showed up on the Evans' doorstep and dropped his bombshell. Rafe had been paying close attention to everyone, trying to gauge their stand on the issue of returning to Antar. He had yet to figure any of them out. He had half expected them to spend the week shut up in their houses having discussions, but they all went about their work as usual.  
  
Mr and Mrs Evans both began planning their summer school lessons. Michael continued work on his next novel, and Maria spent her days writing songs and taking care of Mark. Isabel went to the office everyday, as did Kyle. No one but Kyle's dad knew of the drama unfolding in the group's lives. Rafe marvelled at how well they hid their distress. Even Alex and Lissa went about their normal lives, meeting at the Crashdown everyday for lunch and then spending the afternoon hanging out or keeping an eye on their siblings and cousins. Rafe usually hung out with them. He and Alex were actually becoming close friends.  
  
"So, Rafe. Will you tell me about Antar?" Alex's voice held almost- concealed eagerness.  
  
"What do you want to know?"  
  
"I don't remember much from when I lived there with Tess. What is the planet like?"  
  
Rafe thought for a moment. "I hate to break it to you, Alex, but the only Antar I've seen is the war-torn version. I didn't arrive on the planet until the battles were almost won. I wasn't old enough until then, and when I came I was put in charge of the army that had the clearest path to the capital – much of it had already been destroyed by Kivar's retreating men."  
  
Alex's face fell and Lissa, who was sitting next to him in the booth, squeezed his hand.  
  
Rafe continued quickly, "I do hear that it was once very beautiful, and Father says it could be that way again…under the right leadership."  
  
Alex made no reply, and appeared to be deep in thought. Lissa squeezed his hand again, and decided it was time to change the subject.  
  
"Rafe, I've been dying to know about…"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Darkness was falling and the stars were coming out. On the cliff overlooking the Bottomless Lakes, Max and Liz stood silently. The overlook had been one of their special places for a long time. As the Antarian star's light reached their eyes, Max pulled Liz into his arms. She settled against his side.  
  
"We knew this day would come, Max. We knew we would have to make this kind of decision."  
  
"I know, Liz. But I was hoping it would come before or long after we had children."  
  
"It makes the decision harder, that's for certain. We have four more days, Max."  
  
"I don't know, Liz. It's not enough time."  
  
"We should talk to Claudia."  
  
Max tightened his arm around Liz's waist. "I know."  
  
At Liz's continued silence, Max spoke again. "She won't want to go."  
  
"Why do you think that?" Liz tilted her face to look at Max's profile.  
  
"She loves it here. She likes being…not of this earth…but she loves it here."  
  
"We all love it here, Max. It's all any of us know."  
  
Max turned Liz in his arms so she faced him and she buried her face in his shoulder. They stood that way in silence for a long time, Max stroking Liz's hair, both of them lost in heavy thoughts.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Michael, we have three days to make a decision and all we have decided is that we have no idea what to do!" Maria and Michael were both pacing agitatedly in the cave.  
  
"I know, Maria."  
  
"If we go, what about Mark? If we don't go, what about Antar? There's no winning, Michael!"  
  
Michael stopped pacing. "Rafe didn't say that all of us had to go…"  
  
"None of us want to, Michael. Somebody has to."  
  
Michael sat down dejectedly. Maria stopped pacing as well and sat down next to him. He caught her hand in his as they sat down. "I know," he said softly.  
  
They sat in silence for a few minutes. Finally Maria spoke again. "All the children know…what you are. They know the story. Mark's the only one who doesn't understand your importance…and that's because he's so young."  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
"I don't think they would blame you if you…wanted to go."  
  
Noting the hesitation in Maria's voice, Michael tensed. "What about you? Would you blame me?"  
  
"What's there to blame? You've already stayed for me once. How could I ask you to do it again? I would go with you, Michael."  
  
Michael pulled Maria into his arms and kissed her tenderly. "I don't deserve you, Maria."  
  
"No, Michael. I don't deserve you."  
  
Maria settled her head on Michael's shoulder and they sat silently in the cave for a long time before returning home to Lissa and Mark.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kyle smiled as he said goodnight to his sons, who smiled back sleepily from their bunk beds. Kyle turned off the light in their rooms, and the little alien nightlight that they refused to get rid of because of its sentimental value cast a greenish glow over the room. Leaving the door open a crack, Kyle turned and walked down the hall towards Gabrielle's room.  
  
Isabel sat on the edge of Gabrielle's bed, just finishing a bedtime story. She finished it and leaned down to kiss Gabrielle's forehead. Kyle watched from the doorway as Isabel tucked the covers up to their daughter's chin.  
  
"Sleep sweet, Gaby." With those words, Isabel reached over and snapped off the bedside lamp. Gaby's nightlight was alien-shaped like they boys', but hers was blue, and Kyle thought the bluish glow in the room made his wife look even prettier.  
  
Isabel turned from her daughter's bed to see Kyle staring at her with love obvious on his face. She took his hand and they walked silently to their bedroom.  
  
The two of them got ready for bed in companionable silence. As they lay there on the bed, Isabel knew they needed to talk about the decision they were going to need to make in two days.  
  
"Kyle…about Antar…"  
  
Kyle said nothing and pulled Isabel into his arms.  
  
"Really Kyle…we should talk."  
  
"I know, Izzy. I just don't know what to say to you."  
  
"How do you feel about it?"  
  
"I love you, Isabel. I don't know when I started loving you. Maybe it was when you and I were plotting revenge on Max back before Tess left…maybe it was at Senior Prom when you and I danced to every song…maybe I've always loved you and I didn't know it. I just know that I love you, and that I have loved you for a long time. You are the light of my life and the mother of my children. I'll stand by you, Isabel Valenti, whatever you decide you need to do."  
  
"Just like that? What about the children? What about your life here as sheriff?"  
  
"What about your life here as the best damn social worker Roswell has ever seen? We would all have sacrifices to make. You're the princess, Isabel. It's your destiny we're talking about. If we went back, I wouldn't have the weight of a world resting on my shoulders. I can't tell you what to do."  
  
"It would be hard on the children. They would miss their grandparents…we would miss their grandparents…God, how would we explain to Mom and Dad where we were going? Your dad we could tell the truth, but could we tell my parents?"  
  
Kyle drew Isabel closer. "I don't know, Izzy. I just don't know."  
  
"Kyle?"  
  
Kyle covered Isabel lips with his own. "Shh, Izzy. You should think happy thoughts before going to sleep."  
  
Isabel settled her head against Kyle's broad chest and wrapped her arm around his waist. He ran his hand through his hair as they drifted off into sleeps filled with dreams of Antar and Earth.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Alex, Lissa, and Rafe once again sat in the Crashdown at lunchtime. Alex and Lissa sat on one side of the booth and Rafe sat across from them.  
  
"Rafe, do you have a girlfriend back on Antar?"  
  
"I don't, Lissa." Rafe laughed, his eyes sparkling with humor. "I didn't know it at the time, but I was holding out for you!"  
  
"Hey! Stop trying to get with my girl!" Alex exclaimed without a trace of animosity. They knew it was all a big joke.  
  
Lissa poked Alex in the stomach. "Maybe you should be more careful, Alex. I might just decide that Rafe would be a better boyfriend than you."  
  
"No you wouldn't," Alex said confidently. He leaned over and kissed Lissa quickly on the lips.  
  
"Alex," began Rafe. "You know how any of the adults are leaning in their decisions?"  
  
Alex and Lissa sobered immediately. "No. I do know that none of the other kids have been told. Lissa and I are the only ones who know, unless Mom and Dad told Claudia and she's better at keeping secrets than I am."  
  
Lissa once again posed a question to Rafe, this time without humor. "Who do you think the planet needs most?"  
  
"I don't know. The King and Queen would of course be beneficial, but both Princess Isabel and General Guerin," at Alex and Lissa's pointed looks Rafe corrected himself, "Mrs Valenti and Mr Guerin, have legitimate claims to the throne, although Mr Guerin's is tenuous since he is not married to the princess. He is, however, the king's second-in-command, and that would be good enough I think."  
  
"So you really don't think it is any more valuable for my mom and dad to go than for Lissa's mom and dad to go?" Alex leaned forward as he asked the question.  
  
"Or for the Valentis to go. I don't think so. As long as the person who returns is a member of the Royal House…things should be fine."  
  
Alex looked at Rafe pensively for a moment. "A member of the Royal House…" he murmured under his breath. Then he turned the conversation to baseball, which he had been enthusiastically educating Rafe about for the past week.  
  
Soon Rafe left to speak with Max and Michael about Larek, leaving Alex and Lissa alone at the booth. Alex took a deep breath.  
  
"We need to talk, Lissa."  
  
"I know, Alex." 


	5. Moment of Truth

The morning dawned bright and cloudless, but eight heavy hearts and one nervous heart trudged out to the cave while the sun was still rising. The young children had been left in the care of Jim Valenti, who had been appraised of the situation. He was worried, but had taken the children without commenting. He trusted his son, and his friends who he had come to think of as surrogate children to make the right decisions.  
  
As Valenti worried, the group was filing silently into the cave, sitting in all the old places, with Alex and Lissa sitting between their parents' corners and Rafe sitting solemnly in the middle. Max squeezed Liz's hand then cleared his throat.  
  
"This has been the hardest week of my life, and I know it was probably the same for you guys. This has to be the biggest decision we have had to make in our whole lives."  
  
Liz spoke. "We had more things to consider now, than you did thirteen years ago, and different reasons to be considering going. Now we have established lives, children, and homes."  
  
Maria, softly crying, said "So who goes, and who stays?" Michael hugged her tightly.  
  
Isabel looked at Kyle, who nodded. "What if we all go? At least we'd be together."  
  
"What if none of you go?" Seven pairs of eyes turned towards Alex in shock. Lissa kissed his cheek, and drawing strength from her, he stood.  
  
"You all have lives here, like Mom said. You have jobs, children, homes. You would have more people to explain your disappearance to, and it would be harder."  
  
"But Alex," Liz broke in. "You wanted to go to Harvard!"  
  
"And what about Lissa?" asked Maria, protective of her daughter's heart.  
  
Lissa rose to stand with Alex. "He doesn't need Harvard anymore, Aunt Liz. And Mom…I'm going with him."  
  
Max looked at his son with awed pride. Maria looked at her daughter with distress evident on her face.  
  
"Michael…"  
  
"You would have gone with me, Maria. Can you expect anything less from your daughter?" Maria's eyes widened in understanding and she smiled.  
  
"I'm proud of you, Son," Max said, his voice expressing the pride he felt better than his words.  
  
Isabel and Kyle still hadn't said anything since Alex's announcement.  
  
"Aunt Izzy? Uncle Kyle? You'll tell the kids the truth?"  
  
"Yes, Alex. We'll tell them." Isabel assured him.  
  
Kyle got up and shook Alex's hand. "If anyone can be king of a planet, it's either you or your father. I know you want to be like him…trust me, you are."  
  
Alex smiled broadly, knowing that this was high praise. "Rafe?" he began tentatively.  
  
"Say no more, Alex. You'll make a great king, as long as no one else here wants you to stay?"  
  
At everyone's negative nods, Rafe smiled. "It's settled then. Alex will return to Antar to be king, and Lissa will go as his queen. Is it all right if we leave tonight?"  
  
Alex looked to his father questioningly. Max smiled and said, "We'll miss you, son."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Max and Liz sat on the balcony of Liz's parents' place above the Crashdown. With them were Michael and Maria, as well as Mark and Claudia. They were watching the horizon for the signs that Alex, Lissa, and Rafe had left.  
  
"I'm going to miss him," said Liz. "I know he isn't really my son, but I love him as much as any biological mother would."  
  
"You love him more than his biological mother did," commented Max.  
  
Maria reached out and grabbed her best friend's hand. "I feel the same way about Lissa. She may not be my biological daughter, but I love her like she was my own."  
  
"Will Alex and Lissa ever visit us, Mommy?" asked Claudia.  
  
"I don't know, dear. Probably."  
  
"Rafe said it is easier to do inter-planetary travel now," added Michael. "If there's a way, Lissa and Alex will find it."  
  
Suddenly what appeared to be a shooting star blazed across the sky. It would have seemed like a normal shooting star, except it had shot up into the sky as opposed to down out of it.  
  
The group assembled on the roof let out a collective sigh. Maria and Liz were crying softly, and Max and Michael were squaring their jaws as if to keep from crying. Mark and Claudia hurried back inside to where Grandma and Grandpa Parker had cookies and milk waiting for them, sure they would see their siblings again.  
  
Michael led a sniffling Maria after them to make sure they didn't con the Parkers out of more than four cookies each.  
  
Max and Liz stood alone on the balcony. Liz lifted her head from Max's shoulder and gazed up at the sky.  
  
"Goodbye, Alex."  
  
THE END 


End file.
